SC Johnson has announced it will invest nearly $50 million in its Webster Street plant in Brantford.
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The investment includes bringing new production lines and dozens of new jobs to the facility, the company said on Monday.
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New production lines include Glade Plugin Scented Oil and Method personal care products. Method is a fast-growing brand that includes a body wash, lotion, soap, laundry detergent and a just launched shampoo.
The plant currently produces Glade candles, wax melts, and SC Johnson Professional products.
The company also plans to expand its warehousing and distribution footprint in Brantford in the coming years. The expansion will combine existing centers in Canada and bring new investment and jobs.
The investment wouldn’t have been possible without the recent resolution that keeps 58 Morrell St., zoned industrial, the company said in a statement released Monday. The property is adjacent to the company’s Webster Street plant and was the subject of a land-use impasse involving a housing developer.
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The issue was resolved earlier this month through a provincial land and development facilitation process. Although details of the resolution are confidential, it is known that SC Johnson has taken ownership of the 58 Morrell St. property.
“Today marks an important moment in the history of SCJ Brantford. I am incredibly relieved, as is the entire SCJ team, to have this rezoning situation resolved,” Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson, said in a statement released Monday (March 18). “With this behind us, we now have the clarity and the necessary confidence to move forward with the investment needed to keep our Brantford facility strong and healthy.
“We are deeply grateful to the countless SCJ people, retirees and members of the community who spoke out on behalf of our company.”
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During the course of the company’s history in Brantford, it has continually brought in future-oriented production opportunities, Johnson said.
“That flexibility, to respond to the market and maintain the competitiveness of our factory, resulted in the manufacturing of nearly 200 different products during our time here,” Johnson said. “This new and significant investment, particularly the addition of a popular, fast-growing product line, will continue to benefit the SCJ Brantford team and community for years to come.”
Mayor Kevin Davis said the city is “thrilled to see” SC Johnson’s continued commitment to Brantford.
“Their investment reinforces Brantford’s position as a hub for industrial development and underscores the strength of our partnership with SC Johnson,” Davis said in a statement. “We commend SC Johnson for its dedication to Brantford and its decision to invest in our city.
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“This investment will not only create new jobs but will also contribute to the overall prosperity of our community. ”
The land use dispute began in 2023 when it became known that the then-owners of the property – Rosart Bucci Group – planned to build a 156-unit residential development at the site. The developer sought to have the property rezoned to accommodate the project and applied to the Ontario Land Tribunal for a favorable decision.
SC Johnson, citing potential conflict between its facility and residential development, opposed the rezoning. The issue puts the company’s future in Brantford in doubt.
Concerned about what the tribunal might decide, city council, led by Mayor Kevin Davis, asked the provincial government to appoint a facilitator to help resolve the issue ahead of any land tribunal.
Paul Calandra, the province’s minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, appointed a facilitator after meeting with Davis and Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma.
The provincial facilitation team met with representatives of the city, the developer and SC Johnson in December and into January to resolve the dispute. On March 6, it was announced that the issue had been resolved and that SC Johnson would take ownership of 58 Morrell Street.
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